Amendment proposed to require referendum before MPs lose seats for party switching

A constitutional amendment has been proposed that would require a constituency-wide referendum before an MP loses their seat for switching parties or being expelled from their party.

Parliament amended the Constitution late last year to mandate automatic removal from office if an MP changes their political affiliation. However, Baarah MP Ibrahim Shujau, of PNC, has submitted a further amendment on behalf of the government to set out the procedures for such removals.

The bill is scheduled for its first reading in Parliament today.

Shujau has proposed adding to Article 73(b) so that an MP may only lose their seat after a referendum is held in their constituency and a majority votes in favour of their removal. If the vote supports the MP remaining in office, they would continue to sit in Parliament as an independent member.

However, the amendment also states that if an MP who has been retained through a referendum subsequently joins another political party, they would then lose their seat.